Separable fastener



Dec. 29, 1936. G. sUNDBAcK SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed July 15, 193:5

INVENToR.

`Gideon Sundbacl oRNEYs.

Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES SEPARABLE FASTENER Gideon Sundback, Meadville, Pa., assigner to Hookless Fastener Company, Meadville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July l5, 1933, Serial No. 680,574

3 Claims.

My invention relates to separable interlocking fasteners comprising opposed series of fastening elements attached to flexible supports and a slider movable along the elements for interlocking and 5 releasing the same.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved fastener of the above type in which the elements may be assembled in place on the flexible supports in combination with-means for preventing their shifting along the support.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved means of assembling fastener elements on the edge of exible supports wherein there is no bending or other distortion of the fastening elements.

Myinvention is particularly useful for assembling non-metallic fastener elements on flexible supports. Non-metallic fastener members can be made in large quantities at relatively low cost by methods which have recently become known but it is diflicult if not impossible, to employ the conventional methods for assembling such fastener members on the flexible support. This is due to the fact that after the fastener members are formed to shape they can not be bent or deformed in any way without the application of heat, and then it becomes difficult to control the shape and size accurately or to turn out a satisfactory product at 10W cost.

According to my invention; fastener members are threaded on a cord or cord edge tape with locating or spacer members between them. The fastener members are thus free to move longitudinally on the tape except when limited by the locking or spacer members. The locating members are then fixed in position by a sticking operation which results in a structure having fastening members which, While not themselves stuck to the tape, are definitely located with respect there- 40 to and can not shift more than a permissible amount. The term sticking as used herein and in the appended claims means causing the members to adhere to the tape by the use of cement,

glue, or the like, or by softening the surfaces of the members which come in contact with the tape and which, upon hardening, intimately adhere to the tape, and is intended to distinguish from aiixing the members to the tape by mechanical gripping or by casting them directly 50 upon the tape. This method enables the fastener members to be made from insoluble nonmetallic material if desired, such as certain phenolic condensation products. The locating members are preferably made of soluble material, 55 for example, cellulosic products such as pyralin,

in order that they may easily be stuck to the cord by dipping the assembly in a solvent such as acetone. As is already known, when a tape having members of such materials in contact with it is dipped into a solvent, the solvent softens the 5 inner faces of the members which are in contact with the tape and forms a solution of the material, which solution penetrates the tape. When the solvent afterwards evaporates, the members are firmly stuck to the tape by a dried solution 10 of the material of which the member is made.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustration, two embodiments which my invention may assume in practice. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fastener constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; 20

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the locating members; and

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification.

The fastener of the type described comprises a pair of flexible supports, herein fabric tapes 25 l, 8, having fastening members 9 attached thereto, which are adapted to be interlocked and released by movement of a slider I0, whichis operated with the finger Vtab II. The shape of the projecting end of the fastener members may 30 vary widelyV and the one illustrated is a conventional type having a projection I2 and a recess I3, see Fig. 5. The recesses and projections interengage when the elements are brought together by the slider and provide a rm interlock. As observed in Fig. 2, the tapes are provided with corded edges I4 and each fastening element has a pair of tentacles or arms I5 engaging around the corded edges. In a fastener o f this type, it is necessary to prevent shifting of the elements any considerable distance along the corded edge.

. For this purpose there is mounted between each pair of members a locating ring IG. These rings are preferably of the form illustrated in Fig. 4 and need not occupy the full space between the fastener elements. There is thus sufficient room for adequate flexibility of the cord. The locating members I6 may be sprung in place over the cord edge or threaded on the end of the cord just as the fastening members. When they are in proper position on the corded edge the assembly may be dipped in acetone and the locating members willbe softened suiciently to cause them to adhere firmly to the fabric.

In the modification the locating rings are dispensed with and the fastening members are provided with round holes I8 through which the cord vI9 is threaded. yA tape 2li is provided with a series of apertures 2| along its middle section, which allows the tape to be folded over the cord I8 after the fastening members have been put through the apertures. 'I'he portions of the tape between the openings 2| which are herein designated 22, are preferably of soluble rayon so that they can be easily stuck to the cord I9 by dip- -ping the assembly in a solvent, for a brief interval of time.

If desired, however, the portions of the tape between the fastening members may be cemented to the cord i9 or stuck thereto in any other suitable manner.

'Ihe actual material which bonds the locating members I6 or 22 is referred to herein as sticking materia and it may be cement, glue or a portion of the member itself which has been sofclass described, a pair of exible supports, and

cooperating series of fastener elements along the edges of said supports, a cord on which said fastener elements are threaded, `said exible supports being folded around said cord and having apertures therein through which the fastener elements project, and sticking material forming a bond between portions of the exible support and said cord.

2. A separable interlocking fastener of the class described, comprising a pair of flexible supports with beaded' edges, cooperating series of fastenerelements in uniformly spaced relation on said beaded edges, each of said elements having means in themselves cooperating with the beaded edge to prevent the elements froml moving iaterally with respect to the beaded edge but being free to move longitudinally thereon except when limited by means extraneous to the elements, and locating members in the spaces between the fastener elements anchored firmly to the beaded edges so as to limit the shifting of the fastener elements longitudinally of the support.

3. A separable interlocking fastener of the class described, comprising a pair of flexible supports, cooperating series of fastener elements of non-metallic material in uniformly spaced relation on the edges of said supports. cooperating means on said elements and supports to prevent lateral shifting of the elements with respect to the support, said elements being free to shift longitudinally on said supports except as limited by means extraneous to said elements, and nonmetallic rings embracing the edges of said supports in the spaces between the fastener elements and adhesively secured in position on the exible support to prevent the fastener elements from shifting longitudinally except to a. limited degree. v

GIDEON SUNDBACK. 

